Pages

Thursday, October 20, 2011

A House Without Bananas?

A house without bananas sounds to me like a day without oxygen. Every morning after my exercises, I need some additional energy and it is the perfect food with no prepration required. I keep a fruit bowl filled with bananas and fruits from mangos to kiwi fruits and everything in between. My grandchildren know where to find the banana bowl for afternoon snacks when they visit.

As a preschool youngster, my family journeyed to the wake for a great aunt. There was a lot of food available, but my dad was aware of picky preschool food preferences and had brought along a large bunch of bananas. My brother and I ate those exclusively. Bananas are among the first solids for babies for very good reason. They are tasty and filling, nutritious and easy to digest. As I grew older, we made banana sandwiches with mayo on bread slices. We baked banana bread, banana puddings, banana muffins and we made banana shakes and ice cream banana splits. They are great for smoothies with strawberries and ice cream or yogurt. 


 

Curiosity led me to explore the history of my favorite fruit and I was surprised to learn that bananas have been available in the U.S. for less than 150 years. Due to the fragility of the fruit and the distance of the countries that commonly grow bananas, it was not transported to the U.S. It was introduced in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition and sold for ten cents each. I'm glad they are readily available now. Today, our bananas are grown in tropical regions in the Central and South American countries.

I can't think of a more perfect food for any occasion--camping, auto travel, a day without electricity. It's like peanut butter as an all-purpose food. It is at the top of my shopping list of staples I buy at the food store. I've probably eaten a pathway through several "banana republics."  If we are what we eat, I must be at least one sixth banana and nutty as a fruitcake.


6 comments:

  1. Yes, bananas are great. I always put one in the blender and add orange juice and frozen blueberries for a wonderful, refreshing drink.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just can't understand why bananas are so expensive in Hawaii. They are so much cheaper here in Chicago when they are grown in Hawaii. I do really love bananas in my smoothies. Apple bananas also last longer than the Bluefield that is the more common one sold in the U.S.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm with you-bananas are a staple here! I'm glad to hear that someone else puts mayo with bananas because my husband has been shuddering for years at my sandwiches. They are THE BEST THING for kids; I just toss one in my purse and go.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You are so fortunate to be able to eat bananas. As a child I was unable to eat them and that has not changed. I love the taste of them and once in awhile I have a bite of one of hubby's bananas but I pay for it. My stomach burns and hurts for hours. My brother ate bananas with no trouble and my kids too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've read someplace that people who can't tolerate bananas probably also have a latex allergy.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I like bananas when they are overripe, the green ones taste starchy and unpleasant to me. I go on binges of eating them but usually I stay away, not sure why.

    ReplyDelete